Oscillating cotton-press.



No. 741,085. PATENTED OCT. 13, 190

s. :r. WEBB. OSOILLATING comm PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1900. I

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

N0 MODEL.

I-nuaufoz PATENTED 001?. 1a, 1903'.- .s. J. WEBB. OSOILLATING COTTONPRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1900 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

N0 MODEL.

lvi'hmoaca L i 2 Z n4: weal: PETERS cm mam-who, wmsmwn'on a. c.

ivo. 7'4Ti,085.

Fatented October 13, 1903-.

PATENT FFiQE;

SAMUEL J. WEBB, MINDEN, LOUISIANA.

OSCILLATING=COTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,085, dated October13, 1903. Application filed January 22. 1900. Serial No. 2,322. (Nomodel.)

, z'en of the United States, residing at Minden,

in the parish of Webster and State ofLonishana, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Oscillating Cotton-Presses, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to What I have termed an oscillating cotton-press,and has for its object to provide an improved press for pressing cottonin which the pressing action is progressive; and to these ends myinvention consists in the various features of construction andarrangement of parts, having the mode of operation substantially ashereinafter more particularly set forth.

Referring to't-ho accompanying, drawings, Figure 1 is alongitudinalsectional view. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the parts in theirdiderent positions. Fig.3 is a vertical section upon the line throughthe bearings of the platens, Fig. 1; and Fig. at is a sectional viewshowing a diiferent means of oscillating the segmental platens.

In my application, Serial No. 1,629, filed the 16th day of January,1900, I have described and claimed what I have termed a roller compress,in which the bale of materialis compressed progressively or inincrements through the medium of compressing-rollers, and my presentinvention relates to the same general principles as I have therein setforth in considerable detail, but relates more particularly to adifferent embodiment of those principles wherein instead of rollersoscillating segments or sectors are utilized to produce the compression.In my present invention there is a frame A of two parts suitably securedtogether and supporting the operating portions of the press. Mounted onthis frame are the oscillating segmental or sector shaped platens B B,and one at least of these platens is mounted in adjustable bean ings, sothat the relations of the platens can be regulated, and as a refinementof the present invention I have shown one of the platens as providedwith means for automatically adjusting the platens and varying therelations between the two platens in accordance with thepressuredeveloped onthebale. Theseplatens B B are provided with notchesb to permit the passage of the bale-band, so that the bale can be tiedwhile under pressure, and their faces may be constructed in the mannermore particularlyset forth in my prior application, and this need not bedescribed with more particularity herein.

Some suitable means must be provided for operating the oscillatingsegmental platens, and while these means will vary materially accordingto the requirements of the work to be done, and they may be arranged,asshown herein, to initially feed the bale to the plat ens, other meansmay be utilized for feeding the halo and various other modifications andarrangements of the operating devices may be made by those skilled inthe, art without departing from the main features of the invention.

In the present instance, referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, Ihave shown a hydraulic engine in the form of a cylinder C, in whichmoves a piston 0', having a piston-rod 0 connected to a cross-head O andconnected to this cross-head are the pitmen or connecting-rods D, whichare also connected to the platens B B, so that the platens areoscillated as the piston reciprocates in the cylinder. In thisparticular construction there is connectedto the cross-head O a follower0*, having a plunger 0 fitting a chamber in the crosshead, and thischamber is connected, through the hollow piston-rod G with the mainhydraulic cylinder 0. Any other means for starting the bale or forcingit into position between the bite of the platens may be used; but it ispreferable to have some sort of a follower which will press with more orless force upon the rear end of the bale to prevent undue longitudinalextension of the bale under pressure. Arranged on the bed of the'press Ihave shown friotion-rollersct, which aid in moving the bale toward theplatens and lessen the power necessary to move the halo.

The hydraulic cylinder 0 is connected to a source of power by a suitablesupplyrpipe E, having a proper valve 6, and the cylinder is alsoprovided with an exhaust-pipe E, having a valve e, and of course it isdesirable that these valves should be operated in proper relation toeach other by some suitable means,

' to thepipe E, leading to the source of suparrangement of parts, theoperation of the all of which are well known to those skilled in the artand need not be specifically described herein.

In order to restore the piston to its normal position, (shown in Fig.1,) the cylinder 0 is connected to some suitable source ofsupplyas,forinstance,thecitywater-pipes oratank by means of a pipe F,and this is arranged to give sufficient pressure on the rear side ot'the piston to restore the parts to their normal positions, and when thepiston is moved forward under hydraulic pressure this fluid may beforced back through the pipe F to its source of supply or to a suitableexhaust in a manner well understood.

In order that the relations of the platens to each other may beautomatically varied, I have shown in the present instance one of theplatens, as B, mounted on an eccentric bearing G, to which'is attachedan arm G, having a piston G working in a cylinder G This cylinder isconnected at its upper end by a pipe F to the pipe F, so that normallythere is a certain limited pressure upon the upper side of thepiston-cylinder to restore the relations of the segments to their normalcondition and hold them in this relation. Connected to the lower portionof the cylinder G3 is a pipe G and this is connected to the front end ofthe hydraulic cylinder 0 or ply therefor, and interposed in this pipe isa pressure-regulating valve G of any usual and well-known construction.I may remark that in the drawings the cylinder G is shown of somewhatsmall dimensions for the sake of clearness; but in practice, of course,it will be of suitable dimensions to give the proper adjustment to theeccentric bearing to accomplish the objects intended, the principle ofoperation, of course, being precisely the same.

Such being the general construction and press will be generallyunderstood, and it may be stated that the parts being in the positions.indicated in Fig. 1, with the bale H on the bed, water is admitted tothe cylinder-piston from the source of supply and passing through thehollow piston-rod O the follower O is operated to force the bale betweenthe adjacent surfaces of the segmental platens and at or about the sametime the piston moves, causing the platens B B to oscillate toward eachother, carrying and pressing the bale between their adjacent faces. Itwill be seen that the segmental platens operate practically on theprinciple of a continuously-operating togglejoint, and as they oscillatetheir faces move over the corresponding faces of the bale, acting toprogressively compress the same, so that the bale may be said to becompressed in increments, and it will be observed that the greatestpressure is attained when the various portions of the segments are inpractically a right line between their hearingpoints, and the materialis then in the state of its greatest condensation or density, and itwill be seen that the segments are then in a position to give thegreatest pressure on the bale, this pressure acting substantially likean increasing toggle-pressure as the difierent parts or increments ofthe bale approach the right line just mentioned. Furthermore, in thearrangement shown the leverage or power of the pitmen in connection withthe piston rod increases as the middle portion of the bale is underpressure between the middle portions of the opposite segments.

The frame of the press is so. arranged, as indicated, that while thebale is under the greatest pressure the bale ties or hands may be passedaround the bale and secured in position, thereby preventing undueexpansion of the bale after compression.

It is well known that successive bales of cotton especially may vary insize and quantity of material to some extent and that it is desirable tocompress the bales to a substantially uniform density, and to accomplishthis in the present invention the adjustable bearing of one of theplatens is arranged to be operated automatically in accordance with thepressure exerted on the. bale. If, for instance, the pressure on thebale is normal, the piston G2 will remain in the position shown in Fig.1 and the relations of the segments will remain uniform; but if the baleis abnormally large or for other reasons it offers greater obstructionto its passage between the segments the pressure of the operating fluidwill overcome the pressure-regulating valve G and it will be opened, sothat the fluid will flow into the cylinder G beneath the piston G andthe piston will be lifted, overcoming the normal pressure from the pipeF and lifting the arm G and changing the position of the shaft of thesegment B, and consequently the relations between the segments B and B,so that each bale will be subjected to practically the same pressure,reducing the material of the. bales to a sub stantially uniform density.When the piston is moved to its normal position, restoring the platensto the positions shown in Fig. 1, the pressure in the pipe G isrelieved, and the normal pressure in the pipe F will cause the. piston Gto assume its normal position. It will thus be seen that the relationsof the platens are automatically adjusted through the medium of thebaleitself reacting through the mechanism by which the bale iscompressed. In order that the relations of the platens may be adjustedpreliminary to the introduction of the bale between them, the pipe G maybe provided with aby-pass pipe and valve G, the operation of which willbe readily understood by those skilled in the art.

While the oscillating platens are preferably operated in the manneralready described, it is evident, as above intimated, that they can bedifferently operated, and in Fig. lfor pur- ICO , or bearings supportingalso worm-wheels K K, which are operated by a suitable worm L on theshaft L, which shaft, of course, is to be driven by suitable power inreverse directions.

It will thus be seen that the bales may be compressed by means acting onthe general principles described, so that their densities aresubstantially u niform, that they are compressed progressively or inincrements, the greatest pressure being exerted at substantially thecentral portion of the bale, and that the power necessary to produce agiven density is much less than that necessary in an ordinaryreciprocating platen-press where the bale is compressed as a whole atonce.

What I claim is-- 1. In an oscillating cotton-press, the combinationwith oscillating platens between which the bale is compressed, of meansfor operating the platens, and automatic means for adjusting therelation of the platens, substantially as described.

2. In an oscillating cotton-press, the combination with oscillatingplatens between which the bale is compressed, of an engine, connectionsbetween the engine and oscillating platens, and automatic means foradjusting the relation of the platens, substantially as described. 1 4

3. In an oscillating cotton press, the combination with oscillatingplatens between which.

the bale is compressed, of an engine, connections between the engine andplatens for operating them, adjustable bearings for one of the platens,and means controlled by the operations of the engine for controlling thead- 3' ustable bearings, substantially as described.

4. In an oscillating cotton-press, the combination with oscillatingplatens between which the bale is compressed, of means for operat ingthem, the platens having notches in their adjacent working faces wherebythe balebands may be applied, substantially as described.

5. In an oscillating cotton-press, the combination with platens betweenwhich the bale is compressed, of a follower for forcing the bale betweenthe platens, and means for operating 4 the follower, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an oscillating cotton-press, the combitor-shaped platens,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL J. WEBB.

Witnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, W. CLARENCE DUVALL.

